There is a paucity of research that outlines how to understand the image of political brands. Responding to this identified gap in the literature, this research seeks to demonstrate the elicitation capabilities of qualitative projective techniques to explore the political brand image of the UK Conservative Party. View Summary

There is a paucity of research that outlines how to understand the image of political brands. Responding to this identified gap in the literature, this research seeks to demonstrate the elicitation capabilities of qualitative projective techniques to explore the political brand image of the UK Conservative Party. This paper highlights that projective techniques can provide a greater understanding of underlying feelings and deep-seated attitudes towards political parties, candidates, and the positive and negative aspects of brand image. Many of the associations and perceptions may have been overlooked if other research methods had been adopted. Projective techniques may be adopted by political actors to assess how their brands are understood and, if required, make adaptations to their communicated brand identity.

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2015 general election: Battle of the campaign strategies

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Deborah Mattinson, Market Leader, Quarter 2, 2015, pp. 17-17

This article explores what insights marketers could gain from the campaign strategies employed by political parties in the run-up to the 2015 UK general election. View Summary

This article explores what insights marketers could gain from the campaign strategies employed by political parties in the run-up to the 2015 UK general election.

Some of the problems that politicians are grappling with during the election campaign will be familiar to marketers: an overcrowded marketplace, dramatically reduced budgets and a public that is at best disinterested and at worst hostile.

The way political parties deal with the proliferation of social media will be particularly interesting to observe.

From Labour's strategy of extensive voter engagement to the Conservatives' traditional, economic-focus message, the campaign will generate valuable lessons for marketers around the world.

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The problem with political brands

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Andrew Curry, Market Leader, Quarter 1, 2015, pp. 46-48

This article examines the reasons why branding has not been successful for Britain's political parties and argues that branding has limits when it is associated with identity, rather than consumption. View Summary

This article examines the reasons why branding has not been successful for Britain's political parties and argues that branding has limits when it is associated with identity, rather than consumption.

While the article focuses on the decline of the Conservative Party, the findings are equally valid to the other main parties.

The shift away from membership-based political parties is one of the deep trends of the late 20th century and can be seen right across Europe.

ComRes political favourability ratings taken in September 2014 show that all parties except the Greens fared poorly, the Conservatives and Labour performed particularly badly and some individual politicians had dismal scores.

Political parties are 'deep brands' that need to connect with an individual's sense of self, and the parties that are gaining members at present â€“ Greens, UKIP, SNP â€“ offer voters different stories from those presented by the main parties.

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Elections, antibiotics and WiFi: What behavioural research can teach brands

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Joseph Clift, Event Reports, MRS Customers Exposed, October 2014

This event report sets out three very different examples of how behavioural economics have been applied to induce behaviour change. View Summary

This event report sets out three very different examples of how behavioural economics have been applied to induce behaviour change.

In his US election campaigns Barack Obama used the power of social norms to nudge people into voting by saying that everyone else was too.

Also in the US, to reduce the number of unnecessary antibiotics being prescribed doctors signed a commitment to reduce prescriptions and posted it on their surgery walls - building on the knowledge that people are more likely to stick to a public commitment.

People also have a tendency towards 'anchoring', which is illustrated by credit card companies who have found that including a minimum repayment figure on statements results in a lower average repayment amount (and more interest being paid overall).

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What could politics learn from brands?

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Leendert de Voogd, TNS, Intelligence Applied, September 2014

This article highlights how political research can most accurately determine both voter behaviour and intentions. View Summary

This article highlights how political research can most accurately determine both voter behaviour and intentions.

By integrating an individual-level analysis of different voter groups, it is possible to identify the drivers of voting intention that have the greatest influence over the broadest range of segments.

Data collection needs to take into account reaching the broadest possible sample of people in the context where they are the most comfortable answering political questions - mobile polling, social media listening and online surveys are all growing areas of political research.

The relation of what voters say to their actual future behaviour depends upon the context in which they are speaking - weighting poll data successfully lies not just in identifying where discrepancies exist, but also in identifying the reasons for them.

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The Effect of Generational Status in Language-Tailored Political Messages

The current study explored the effect of language-tailored political television advertisements on young-adult Latinos who live in the United States. View Summary

The current study explored the effect of language-tailored political television advertisements on young-adult Latinos who live in the United States. It included the case of the 2008 presidential campaign as well as a simulated experiment performed two years later for a cross-validation purpose. Findings indicated that the effectiveness of political advertising on young-adult Latinos depends not only on the language used in the political advertisement but on the viewers' generational status.

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Gender stereotypes as a double-edged sword in political advertising: persuasion effects of campaign theme and advertising style

Today, more women are seeking public office in elections at all levels. Studies have thus drawn attention to the use of political advertising by female candidates. View Summary

Today, more women are seeking public office in elections at all levels. Studies have thus drawn attention to the use of political advertising by female candidates. In the current research, we explore the persuasion effects of gender stereotypes. Gender stereotypes are proposed to be either an asset or a liability depending on the particulars of campaign theme and advertising style. Through two experiments (with samples of 281 and 270 eligible voters, respectively), participants made inferences about unfamiliar candidates based on stimuli manipulated in the ad. Campaign theme was manipulated in the contexts of candidates’ gendered personality traits and issue domain. Administration of the experiments was performed via a shopping mall intercept method. The experimental results indicated that congruity between candidate gender and campaign theme would enhance a positive political ad. Female candidates showing ‘feminine’ traits, or focusing on ‘soft’ issues, could encourage voters’ favourable evaluations and increase their voting intention. Conversely, it was more advantageous for men to campaign with a focus on ‘masculine’ traits or ‘hard’ issues. However, when resorting to an attack ad, the opposite patterns held true: i.e. complementarity between candidate gender and campaign theme enhanced persuasion in advertising. This study concludes by discussing political advertising strategies for female candidates in a seemingly male-dominated political sphere.

Independent voters are a valuable vote source, often determining electoral outcomes worldwide. Political endorsements from both celebrities and non-celebrities are also a common, vital election strategy. View Summary

Independent voters are a valuable vote source, often determining electoral outcomes worldwide. Political endorsements from both celebrities and non-celebrities are also a common, vital election strategy. This paper compares the ad effects associated with three types of endorsers in political endorsement advertising on young independent voters in Taiwan, and explores the moderating effects of two voter characteristics. The experimental results indicate that young independent voters prefer political endorsement ads to general political ads. Compared to political figure endorsements, political ads endorsed by either a common citizen or an entertainer can increase voter favourability towards the advertised party and their intention to vote for it. Moreover, common citizen endorsements are more effective than entertainer endorsements in increasing voter turnout intention. However, for female voters or those with better general attitudes towards political ads, the effects associated with endorser types are weakened.

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On the crest of a wave: How a US lobby group got its message heard, without spending a cent on advertising

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Jo Bowman , Event Reports, I-COM Global Summit, April 2014

This event report looks at how a US lobby group successfully got its message heard above the noise that traditionally surrounds the President's annual State of the Union address. View Summary

This event report looks at how a US lobby group successfully got its message heard above the noise that traditionally surrounds the President's annual State of the Union address. Using data-visualisation tools the cross-party No Labels group was able to gain a real-time time view of what was happening in online conversations, crafting content that used the appropriate hashtags and topics used by the influencers driving these conversations. In 2013, No Labels got 7% of all conversations mentioning one of their hashtags – with no advertising.

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The Power of Citizen-Group Public-Policy Advertising: Messages Don’t Need Third-Party Validation to Increase Salience among Pockets of Voters

Issue advertisements are advertisements designed to change public opinion about a social issue rather than advocate or oppose a candidate or ballot question or sell a product or service. View Summary

Issue advertisements are advertisements designed to change public opinion about a social issue rather than advocate or oppose a candidate or ballot question or sell a product or service. What effect do these advertisements have on perceived importance of the advertised issue and attitudes and knowledge about the featured policy? Results from an online experiment studying the effect of online issue advertisements suggest that issue advertisements can increase the salience of and knowledge about an issue. Issue advertisements can also persuade about the merits of a policy but only among individuals without attachments to major political parties.

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Point of View: Where Romney was right

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Molly Flatt, Admap, December 2012, pp. 13-13

The first large-scale piece of experimental research on the political influence of social networks published in September 2012 revealed that Facebook sharing can encourage people to get out and vote. View Summary

The first large-scale piece of experimental research on the political influence of social networks published in September 2012 revealed that Facebook sharing can encourage people to get out and vote.

During the US Presidential election, Mitt Romney's team were the surprising winners in deciding to examine more deeply who these people were and what would be most likely to make them take an action more meaningful than a 'like'.

With the 'Commit to Mitt' app, Team Romney was able to use information about the geography and behavioural history of users to identify who they thought would be most influential in shifting the dial at the polling booth.

This highlights an important, but subtle shift in attitude towards social contagion.

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Regulating Political Symbols: China's Advertising Law and Politicized Advertising

Advertising regulation in China contains political and ideological nuances. Despite evolution of its advertising law and years of practice dealing with various codes, advertisers still find it daunting to decipher the regulations after years of practice. View Summary

Advertising regulation in China contains political and ideological nuances. Despite evolution of its advertising law and years of practice dealing with various codes, advertisers still find it daunting to decipher the regulations after years of practice. The ideological components of China’s advertising law require careful analysis of political correctness and cultural appropriateness. In this paper, the authors use semiotic analysis to consider both advertising that has violated ideological rules and advertising that has successfully transmitted desired ideological messages. And the authors have selected four advertising cases that help clarify the perceptions regarding political ideology in China.

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Leveraging the power of social media: The impact of shared news content on consumers

This presentation details research findings on bringing news videos and articles into social conversation and the effect on engagement when online content is an extension of personal interactions. View Summary

This presentation details research findings on bringing news videos and articles into social conversation and the effect on engagement when online content is an extension of personal interactions. In previous research, Innerscope Research found participant conversations creating higher levels of emotional response than the content itself. CNN expected that stories shared through social media would experience a lift similar to that created in recent usability and redesign work. The study results, however, place the impact of social media in a fundamentally different category with extremes of lift in both the influencer and their friend network.

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A case study in social media: what brands can learn from the 2011 Singapore general elections

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Low Lai Chow, Warc Exclusive, August 2011

On the night of 7th May 2011, Singapore's general election was held. Many people turned to Twitter for their news updates, there they were frequently broken before they were broadcast on television. View Summary

On the night of 7th May 2011, Singapore's general election was held. Many people turned to Twitter for their news updates, there they were frequently broken before they were broadcast on television. The 2006 election had been hailed as the 'internet election', but 2011 marked the first time in that use of social media by political parties in their campaigns was permitted, and while traditional media channels have tended to ignore the opposition parties; in the digital sphere, these parties found it much easier to spread their message. At the same time, Singaporeans used social channels to debate issues and share opinions. The role of social platforms is covered, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Lessons for brands include tips for handling negative feedback and dealing directly with customers.

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Faceless People and Unsung Heroes: Imperatives for Celebrity Advertising in China

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Saurabh Sharma and Jason Spencer, WPP Atticus Awards, Winner, 2010

Not even one among the top 100 star celebrities in China, is a son or daughter of anyone famous – they are all virtually self-made success stories. View Summary

Not even one among the top 100 star celebrities in China, is a son or daughter of anyone famous – they are all virtually self-made success stories. It is surprising to note that many marketers and advertisers still do not really understand the Chinese nuance to celebrity endorsement. As a result, every time a celebrity is signed up for the next multimillion-dollar marketing campaign, what has been done in the past is repeated with predictably mediocre results. As China guns for glory, the Chinese are looking for hope in the thousands of unsung heroes and millions of talented and yet unknown people who are looking for a way to break in and make a mark.Unlike many other markets in the world, China today offers a rare opportunity for brands not just to grow but also to contribute to the 'construction of values'. In the end, brands could actually stand for something much more than just things we consume.

Today, the most personal and direct of all media channels is the mobile phone. View Summary

Today, the most personal and direct of all media channels is the mobile phone.

This devise enables the world to remain connected 24/7.

Mobile marketing is becoming increasingly popular as a way for governments and political parties to reach their supporters.

Among the strong features of mobile marketing activities are the fresh, innovative and rapid ways to reach supporters at any time and at any place.

Examples include the past presidential campaigns of Barack Obama in the United States and Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh in Iran, both with unprecedented mobilization of supporters.

Mobile phones are powerful devices with robust capabilities that can be a tool for sending and receiving political messages and propaganda.

This paper highlights the use of mobile marketing for political purposes and the focus on mobile marketing activities related to political strategies and their applications.

Several illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the use of mobile marketing as a powerful tool for governments and political parties to mobilize their supporters.

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Point of View: The social media election that wasn't

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John Woodward, Admap, July/August 2010, pp. 7-7

The recent UK general election was not, as claimed, the first social media election. Politicians who are avoiding honesty on key issues, such as spending cuts, cannot have a clear an authoritative voice in social media. View Summary

The recent UK general election was not, as claimed, the first social media election. Politicians who are avoiding honesty on key issues, such as spending cuts, cannot have a clear an authoritative voice in social media. Contrast this with Obama's election campaign, which was marked by a strong sensse of authenticity and passion. As well as honesty, social media responds to the creation of currency - the appearance, of real things (songs, posters, events, ideas) with the cultural spark to be part of the real consumer conversation. brands must have this candour, passion and creativity to succeed in social media.

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Tory victory will be dependent on their very own Labrador puppy

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Jeremy Bullmore, Market Leader, Quarter 1, 2010, pp. 18-20

In his regular column, Jeremy Bullmore uses the example of the Tory party’s manifesto for the next general election to illustrate two of his pet hate phrases. View Summary

In his regular column, Jeremy Bullmore uses the example of the Tory party’s manifesto for the next general election to illustrate two of his pet hate phrases. Although of course the manifesto hasn’t been published yet, he imagines it will almost certainly contain ‘yetisms’ and ‘whilsts’, where the aim is to make two contradictory things apparently harmonious. He contends that it didn’t work for Andrex, when the brand tried to suggest that toilet paper could be strong yet still soft, and it won’t work for the Conservatives unless they can find their own Andrex puppy.

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Innovative online research - The US presidential campaign of Barack Obama case study

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Ron Riley, ESOMAR, Online Research, Chicago, October 2009

This case study describes an online qualitative research project that used innovative study design, interviewing technologies (multimedia interviewing, mobile research), and voice analysis in an effort to refine public policy for the U.S. View Summary

This case study describes an online qualitative research project that used innovative study design, interviewing technologies (multimedia interviewing, mobile research), and voice analysis in an effort to refine public policy for the U.S. presidential campaign of Barack Obama.

22

AMA Mplanet 2009: Marketing Obama all the way to the White House

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Geoffrey Precourt, Event Reports, AMA Mplanet, January 2009

In this article Geoffrey Precourt, WARC Online's U.S. Editor, reports from the American Marketing Association's Mplanet 2009 conference in Orlando, Florida, on a presentation by Larry Grisolano, a leading Democrat Party strategist who served as the senior communications strategist on Barack Obama's presidential campaign. View Summary

In this article Geoffrey Precourt, WARC Online's U.S. Editor, reports from the American Marketing Association's Mplanet 2009 conference in Orlando, Florida, on a presentation by Larry Grisolano, a leading Democrat Party strategist who served as the senior communications strategist on Barack Obama's presidential campaign. His campaign is largely perceived as the most politically savvy media/marketing American election effort, and Grisolano argues that several key factors contributed to Obama's victory. These include: consistency of message (focusing on "change" from the beginning of the campaign to the end); campaign leadership (ensuring that key individuals worked together for success, which results from matching marketing to production); successfully engaging a target audience (as Obama did with young voters via a range of non-traditional media); and exploiting digital to its full potential (from search engines to online video). This approach will also inform Obama's strategy while in office.

WARC U.S. editor Geoffrey Precourt looks at the importance of digital media and viral marketing to Barack Obama's presidential campaign. He casts an eye back to the famous pieces of political advertising from the pre-YouTube era, including clips and commentary on: "Daisy" (Lyndon Baines Johnson, 1964); "It's Morning Again in America" (Ronald Reagan, 1984); and "Willie Horton" (George H.W. Bush, 1988). He notes that, like the digital/viral tactics of the new era, these pieces of communication were designed to stimulate conversation. He also asks the extent to which the digital/viral successes now seen in the political arena hold lessons for commercial advertisers.

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The Tri-Mediation Model of persuasion: a case for negative political advertising?

In this paper, the effects of positive versus negative (political) advertising are modelled. The findings show that positive as well as two different types of negative advertising will lead viewers to formulate specific attitudes towards the brand (sponsor). View Summary

In this paper, the effects of positive versus negative (political) advertising are modelled. The findings show that positive as well as two different types of negative advertising will lead viewers to formulate specific attitudes towards the brand (sponsor). However, the manner in which these attitudes are formed will be affected by ad type and argument strength. It was found that under strong message argument conditions, negative attack ads may lead to more positive evaluations of the sponsoring candidate, whereas under weak message argument conditions, direct comparison ads may be superior. In developing this model to include the effects of negative appeals, the traditional Dual Mediation Model of persuasion is redefined. The author demonstrates that a peripheral cue (attitude towards the ad) can have an impact on the central route to persuasion by fostering message acceptance not only in regard to the sponsor of the advertisement but also in regard to a competitor. The resultant Tri-Mediation Model of persuasion provides significant insights into the nature of cognitive processing resulting from exposure to negative advertising.

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PolitEchoes

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The Futures Company, Yankelovich MONITOR Minute, April 2008

This 2008 article highlights the increased involvement of young people in the electoral process. The PolitEchoes cohort is aged 16 to 28 years old, and believe it is important for others to see them as "politically active". View Summary

This 2008 article highlights the increased involvement of young people in the electoral process. The PolitEchoes cohort is aged 16 to 28 years old, and believe it is important for others to see them as "politically active". This feeling of involvement has been catalysed by online engagement, with people feeling empowered to "create" candidates via internet support initiatives and operations, rather than merely vote for them. Brands are seen as having various ways of reaching PolitEchos. Marketing messages can highlight the brands' social engagement or show how it is "making a difference", or celebrate the group's passions by encouraging dialogue.